You never know, Nigel Farage might make us all millionaires!

 I read the news today (oh boy). Suella Braverman has become the latest defector from The Tories to Reform. There was a post on Facebook that said there are more of Liz Truss's cabinet in Reform than there are on the Tory front bench now. I haven't check this fact (life is too short), but as I chatted with a member of Mill Hill Services club earlier about the defection, a strange thought ocurred to me. Truss sparked off a mini inflation bubble with her dodgy budget, that caused a run on the pound and lead to her getting the sack before the lettuce wilted (as a side note, was the lettuce the greatest ever gift to UK journalism from the Daily Star?). However you look at it, the unreformed (forgive the pun) Trussites are seemingly gravitating toward Farage on mass. It is clear that Farage must be a fan of Trussonomics, as he's only been too keen to welcome them. But what does this actually mean, if Reform make the next government.

I was thinking of my Dad. He always said that his ambition in life was to bea  millionaire. His plan to acheive it? He did the pools every week. Although he hated football, he was fascinated by the pools and would study form. He'd ask me my opinion, as the in house football expert, on which games I thought would be score draws. I'd make my predictions and always get it wrong. However if Dad was still alive, it is always possible that his dream would have been realised under a new Reform government. They are welcoming a whole bunch of failed politicians, who's polices spooked the market and kicked off an  inflation bubble. If such people won a general election with the sort of mandate that the polls seem to be predicting, there would be no one to stop them. Have they learned? This seems very unlikely,given Truss's pronouncements that she was right and everyone else is wrong. 

I asked Google's AI what it thought. It's reply "In summary, many economic analysts believe the large, uncosted tax cuts proposed by Reform UK in 2024 would likely have increased inflationary pressures, although the party argued its efficiency savings would make its plans sustainable. "

So Reform believe that they can pay for tax cuts with increased efficiency. Where have we heard that before. Forgive my scepticism, but I can only see two possible outcomes. Reform stick to their guns and we have a period of high inflation, or alternatively they break all their election promises and we learn they are actually just the Tory looney right under another guise. Of course, I am not an economist, so what do I know. But what inflation means is that you get paid more, but your money is worth less. So Dad might have been a millionaire, but his million pounds would only by a half of lager and a packet of crisps at the Services club, and even then, it's price would have doubled before he ordered a second pint, as happened in Germany in the 1930's. 

I am not a Reform suppoter and I do not wish them well electorally. But I have to say that I think they are making a massive mistake climbing onto the Truss bandwagon and signing up all her mates who nearly bankrupted the UK. I have to say that Dad's plan to win the Pools to become a millionaire was to me far more credible than the plans Liz Truss made to 'save the economy'. The cost of Dad's pools coupon didn't put a strain on our household finances and we had hours of fun making our selections.

The Sunday Reflection #75 - Another cup of tea please

My beautiful wife Clare is making me a lovely cup of tea as i write this. By the time I have finished the blog, my cup of tea will be finished as well. I love a nice cup of tea on Sunday morning. I have a little ritual I follow most Sundays. I get up (often with a mild hangover), go to the 8.30 mass at The Sacred Heart, then I come home and make breakfast for whoever wants it. Sometimes this will be bagels, cream cheese and Smoked Salmon from Yummies. Today I made omelettes. I have a special recipe that is influenced by Japanese street food. I fry up cabbage, onions, mushrooms and then whisk the eggs up with a bit of salt and pepper. This all gets mixed up. This morning Clare and Matt went first, then I added chorizo for the meat eaters. It was delicious (even if I say so myself). 

Once that has been scoffed, I start this series of blogs. My original brief, for this series was to take a look at life in a more spiritual (not with a religious tone) at life. As it has evolved, I've realised that it is often more interesting simply to look at things that have happened in the week and reflect on them. It has been a terrible week. An old work mate of mine passed away. During lockdown, he descended into a private hell of isolation and drink. His marriage broke down. He eventually lost his job last year and apparently he fell over drunk, banged his head and died. It is fair to say he always liked a drink a bit more than was good for him, but in recent years, it became the alpha and omega in his life.

I like a drink, I probably should drink a bit less, but I abstain 3-4 days a week. I am just as happy with a cup of tea most of the time. It is when I am with friends that I overdo it. Yesterday, I met my friends from North Wales in a pub in Shepherds Bush, had a couple of beers, went to Loftus Road to watch a brilliant game of football, that Wrexham won in the last minute of extra time, with a simply spectacular goal. They were 2-1 down at 90 mins and the Welsh boys were ecstatic. We then took a tube to Euston, had a couple more beers in the Doric Arch. We then had a tasty curry at the Great Nepalese. After that we bade farewell, then made our way home. As it was still relatively early, I picked up a bottle of wine at the Turkish shop in Mill Hill, which I shared with my wife and daughter. 

Yep, I know it's a bit too much. But it was a wonderful day. I didn't feel my best this morning. Not too bad but I have to say, a cup of tea or three is the order of the day. I might have a glass of wine with lunch today, nothing tomorrow, a few beers at Hadley on Tuesday and then probably nothing until Friday. Many cups of tea will be drunk. Although I know that I should drink less when I am out with mates, I also know that life would be less fun if I didn't drink at all.  I don't need a drink to have fun, but when I am with drinkers I thoroughly enjoy it. But the other side is that I enjoy a cup of tea and a chat just as much when its a non drinking situation. Actually that is not entirely true. It is almost impossible to get decent tea in a cafe or restaurant in the UK now. No one knows how to make it and it is ridiculously expensive. If I had the choice between tea or beer, I'd probably choose tea, but not the slop you get charged £3 a cup for in most London cafes these days. I don't know why it is so hard to use proper leaves and make it in a pot. I used to love the old cafe builders tea, that was so strong the spoon would stand up in it. These days, I drink my tea black. It is one of the few simple pleasures at home. in cafe, its just legalised mugging

The Saturday List #373 - Traitors Special! Betrayal in music

 Yesterday was one of the big TV events of the year, the traitors final! Back in 2015, I wrote a song all about traitors called "To the tower". It is based on a poem called "The Tichborne Elegy" that was written by Chidiok Tichborne, an ancient relative of mine who was put to death in the Tower of London. He was hung drawn and quartered. Such was the outrage that this was banned as a punishment. It fascinates me. I wrote the song to perform with The False Dots, but our then singer Allen Ashley didn't like it. As we used to do, we recorded the song at the time in a song writing session. What do you think? Should the Dots revive it and do a special Traitors theme? I actually think it sounds rather good, not quite what we are doing at the mo but...

It got me thinking of other songs of betrayal. I though I'd revisit my songs of Betrayal Spotify Playlist

Here is a little potted description of the songs and why I picked them.

1, Richard Hell and The Voidoids - Betrayal Takes Two.  The greatest ever song of betrayal. Unlike most songs on the subject it is a celebration of the joys of betrayal and illicit love. The song is lyrically brilliant. 

2. Marvin Gaye - I heard it through the grapevine. Everything about this song is brilliant. Marvin at his very best. A song that absolutely sums up the pain of betrayal.

3. Rod Stewart - The first cut is the deepest. Rod at his finest, before he went all bombastic. If Rod had carried on like this, he'd be one of my all time faves. A great song about being with someone who doesn't care about you at all.

4. The Sex Pistols - Liar. A song about the duplicity of Malcolm McClaren, their manager.  Sadly Talcy Malcy isn't the only dodgy music industry manager.

5. Moby Grape - I am not willing. A splendid piece of 60's psychedelic rock, charting the realisation of the fact that you are being cheated on and coming to terms with not being in love anymore.

6. Gladys Knight and The Pips - Who is she and what is she to you. Gladys Knight made a bit of a niche for herself with soulful numbers about betrayal and the rotten way men treat women. This is one of her finest moments.

7. Toots and The Maytells - Monkey Man. A song where Toots lets his feeling be known about his ex'girlfriends new partner. It is a very up beat song about a very bitter feeling.

8. Ace - How Long. This is a song of betrayal by a band mate. Most people think it is about a lover, but it's about a band finding out that one of their members is off to join a more successful outfit. It always amuses me how many people have taken solace after a relationship ends with this song.

9. The O'Jays - The Back Stabbers. I always rather liked this song. It reminds me of a mate of mine, who's modus operandi for getting girlfriends was to nick his best mates girl. He ended up moving abroad as everyone wanted to murder him!

10. The Clash - Deny. A song about KeitH Levine, former guitarist with the band, who allegedly was not entirely honest with other members of the band about his activities. A great song.

Betrayal and cheating is terrible but just think how dull life would be and how many great songs would not exist if people were nice. 

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Rock and Roll Stories #57 - The Ramones in reflection

 Last night, I went to see Marky Ramone's Blitzgrieg at The Dome in Tufnell Park. Marky Ramone AKA Mark Bell joined the Ramones for their fourth album Road to Ruin when original drummer Tommy Ramone left. Marky was an accomplished drummer, having played with Richard Hell and The Voidoids previously. Until he arrived Ramones records did not have drum rolls and fills. Until Tommy left the band kept up the pretence that they were all brothers. When it was announced that Mark Bell was becoming Marky Ramone, it caused a degree of consternation amongst die hards. Many think that Road to Ruin was the last great Ramones album. I wanna be sedated is one of their absolute classic tracks. It was a bit calmer and poppier than the earlier albums, as the band attempted to become a more mainstream band. 

Marky was the longest serving drummer in the band, doing two stints. The band finished in 1996. I probably saw them 30-40 times, they were always brilliant. The three mainstay members, Johnny, Joey and Dee Dee has all died by 2004. Tommy passed away in 2014. The Ramones were the reason I got into music. I documented the moment in a 2012 blog. This was picked up by the Roundhouse and they put a quote from the blog on the wall, at the top of the stairs. For me, that is a bigger honour than an OBE or a Knighthood. 

I am not a massive fan of tribute bands. I don't want my memories of the Ramones sullied by poor impersonators. But Marky is a Ramone. I felt I had to go. I really didn't know what to expect. What did we get? Well as you may expect, Marky does the job absolutely properly. At times it could have been The Ramones, if like me you are a bit short sighted and you forgot your glasses. It was wonderful. I reminded me of why I went on my journey as a musician. He does the music justice and if you weren't there in 1977,  and haven't seen them 30 or 40 times, as I was, then you might get some idea of what it was all about. For that I will have an eternal debt of gratitude to Marky. I cannot think of another band who would play 20-30 songs (I wasn't counting) and I knew them all apart from one.

The band weren't pretending to be Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee, although musically there was not a Rizla thickness difference between the noise coming out. If, like me, you loved the Ramones and thought you'd never get another fix of them, then check them out. I had no idea what to expect, if I am honest I didn't expect too much, but felt it important to support Marky as The Ramones never made any real money. It was wonderful. If anyone ever asks me why I don't like Queen as a band, I always say "Because I saw The Ramones". Fair play to Marky, he reminded me why I've been saying that since the 6th June 1977. They are Rock and Roll stripped down to its absolute bare essentials. There is nothing flash, no showing off. No vocal contortions or guitar solos. Just a wonderous noise that no one else in the history of the Universe has ever quite figured out why it is so good, but it just is. If you don't get The Ramones, you don't get Rock and Roll. That is fine, it is a free country, but don't bother chatting to me about music as I will be talking an alien language. Without the Ramones, I would simply not exist in my current form. I would be a different, lesser human being. The Ramones made everything make sense in 1977. I was surprised to learn that in many ways, they still do. And as for Marky Ramone's Blitzgrieg, it isn't the Ramones, but seeing them was to me like kissing the toe of the statue of St Peter is for Roman Catholics at The Vatican. It isn't St Peter, but its the nearest thing we have, so lets celebrate them and cherish them.

Here is a few clips. 

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Why can't people simply admit they it when they are wrong?

 Imagine a perfect world. If you could change one aspect of human nature what would it be? I can remember asking an old, wise Roman Catholic Priest this question when I was about 14 years old. His answer shocked me. I thought he'd say "make people less greedy". But what he actually said was "I'd make people want to apologise when they had made mistakes". He explained that in his career the worst things happened when people made mistakes and couldn't bring themselves to apologise. Often what they did was concoct a whole tissue of lies to justify something they knew was wrong. This always troubled me. I couldn't understand how a man who knew so much had come to such a conclusion. I thought that there were many aspects of human behaviour that were far more worthy of addressing. But I have come to realise his wisdom. To some extent, we are all greedy. It only becomes a problem when our greed negatively impacts another person. I want my studio to be better, turn over more money, and make me a bit richer. I'd love a nice holiday with the proceeds. But that aspiration doesn't hurt anyone. If I went and burned down my competitors, that would and I'd have committed a heinous crime. As I am not a psychopathic narcissist, it is not how I operate. But people do do such things and they do hope they get away with it. When they are caught, as stupid people usually are, they come up with lame excuses. Sadly friends and family are often taken in.

In recent weeks, I have seen some terrible behaviour from someone I know and who I, until recently, had a lot of respect for. They have got themselves in a very difficult position, all because they didn't simply apologise when their bad behaviour was initially called out. I can't really say any more, but life would be so much more simple and so much less frustrating if people could simply put their hands up and say "Sorry I got that call wrong". In most situations in life, no one is 100% right or wrong. Recognising that in difficult situations, we have handled things badly and so we hold out an olive branch and say " I will accept I got this wrong, lets try and resolve this amicably" is a strength not a weakness. 

Many years ago, I worked in IT and I was working on an ATM system for a major bank. There was a problem that was causing the system to crash every week during the peak ATM usage time. We were having fraught meetings. I knew what the issue was, but the manager of the department responsible would not agree. He made a huge issue claiming it was our departments responsibility. I made the statement "well, I am prepared to accept that we have issues on our side, but we need to work together to resolve it". He aggressively replied "Well I do not accept that we have any issues at all, so now you have admitted you own the problem, I expect you to resolve it". I was shocked, my attempt to hold out an olive branch had been totally rebuffed. The issue was costing the organisation millions of pounds and also reputational damage and I realised I'd put myself in the the crosshairs. It was an unpleasant situation. I went back, checked everything and returned to the meeting. I produced the details of the way our end of the connection was set up. Their tech boys, who were good guys took this, then checked their end. They immediately realised that they had made a mistake on the setup, that only impacted at times of peak volume. When it became clear that much time had been lost by the manager denying all responsibility for the problems, he looked extremely stupid.

Given the high profile nature of the situation the overall boss was also present. He suggested that the guy apologise for his stance. He stunned everyone by saying "I have nothing to apologise for, it was his comments claiming they had problems that mislead us all". Within a couple of months, he was managed out of the role. It was a lesson for me, I realised that my stance had gone down well and I was seen to be a team player. Sadly I have seen the same scenario play out many times since. It never ends well. 

As I was walking past St Rollox.....

 Back in the dim, dark days of the 1970's, comedy was a very different beast to what it was today. Things which would guarantee a laugh back then, would see you being cancelled or sent to prison today.Casual racism was an almost guaranteed source of a laugh, for comedians such as Bernard Manning and Jim Davidson. Other rib tickling subjects included sexism, homophobia. flatulence and diced carrots. All of this was considered prime time TV material. There were people who made a handsome living simply standing up and spouting jokes on such subjects. When you went to see such comedians and they were not on telly, every second word started with an F or a C.  Within five minutes of the start of any show, you'd probably have had just about every form of abuse that people get cancelled for today.

Until I was about 14 years old, I'd sit with my parents and watch various shows on TV with my parents. My mum was 'not a fan of filth'. She hated mother in law jokes (not least as she was a mother in law). She would describe the racist and sexist jokes as 'cheap laughs' and point out that 'good comedians such as Morecombe and Wise don't need such material. It is fair to say my Dad, who had served in the armed forces, had a different view. His view was that comedy was less about the material and more about the timing and presentation. He said a good comedian could read the phone book and get a laugh. He also said that comedians such as Manning tell blue jokes because that is where the money is in comedy. His view was that Manning had excellent comic timing and was funny, although he sometimes stifled laughs if my Mum was in earshot.

He explained that when he'd been aboad with the RAF during WW2, every so often touring shows would visit the base to entertain them. If it was a good show, there would be a decent band and some pretty girls dancing and/or singing. The comedians 'warmed' the audience up. These were men who'd been away from their loved ones for a long time and many of whom wouldn't make it home. He told me that the best comedians were the ones who's jokes took you out of your dire situation and back to the comfort of home for a few seconds. Jokes about the pub, the dance, mundane normal life, were the ones that were best received if they were funny. I suspect that is where the tradition of mother in law jokes originated (I am not a comedy historian). Men in the forces wanted to be with pretty girls and they saw the girls mums, who knew what the blokes wanted as the enemy. As for the racism in humour, I suspect that the roots of this were also in WW2. My Dad was in North Africa with the RAF and it is fair to say that he didn't have a high opinion of the locals. This was as much to do with the fact that their camps were constant targets for petty thefts, the locals were always trying to scam them and didn't really want Europeans fighting proxy wars in their country, be they British, German or Italian. The British always felt that the locals should be grateful that we were fighting to kick fascists out, but the locals didn't see it like that. Millions of men served abroad and I am pretty sure this was a fertile breeding ground for casual racism and comedians probably soon learned that they could get a laugh at the locals expense. The best comedy is always relevant to peoples lives and situations. Prior to WW2 most British men wouldn't really have come into contact with any sort of Foreigners, outside large port cities.

The pinnacle of this racist/sexist band of humour was around 1977. I can recall Bernard Manning on Parkinson with Esther Rantzen. If you want to see what passed as hilarious prime time telly, then watch that. It is not for the faint hearted. If you watched that show at the time, as I did, you would probably assume that Manning was unassailable as a comedy great. Esther Rantzen had tried to call him out and Manning had made her look ridiculous in the eyes of a 1977 TV audience. What I am sure neither Rantzen or Manning realised was that the whole thing was about to crash and burn. It wasn't 'clean up campaigners such as Esther Rantzen or Mary Whitehouse who changed people's views. It was snotty nose oik's like me and my fellow 1976/7 punks. Eric Clapton made racist remarks at a concert in Birmingham in August 1976. In response,  A bunch of underground musicians took exception to this and within a year, Rock Against Racism was holding rallys and festivals up and down the country.

Rock Against Racism becoming the militant political arm of the punk movement. Punk and Reggae musicians had always got on, and linking up the two genres at festivals was a no brainer.By 1978, the Two Tone Ska movement had started and Two Tone records started releasing records in 1979. Young people bought into the idea that there was no place for racism in society and if you reject racism from Eric Clapton, who is a damn fine musician, and even had a hit with a Bob Marley song, then you have to reject it from the likes of Bernard Manning too. Broadcasters saw the way the wind was blowing and what had made up prime time TV schedules for years was dropped like a lead balloon. The likes of Manning retreated to his club in Manchester, earning a good living but not on our screens anymore. A new brand of comedian sprung up, the 'Alternative Comedian'. My Dad said that they were like comedy without the humour. This new generation were seen as edgy, with shows like Not the none o'clock news and the Young Ones. Out went the sexism and racism and in came a re-imagined technicolour Keystone cops type of humour on acid and speed. My Mum who had hated the sexism and racism of Manning hated such things even more, as she felt it was just posh people shouting at each other. To my amazement, she even once said "well at least Bernard Manning could tell a joke".

In truth, comedy wasn't my thing. I was a musician. I like a good laugh and a good joke, but it wasn't something that I was into. In about 1992, I went to a comedy open mic night with a couple of work mates. There were about 40 people there. My mates nagged me to get up and tell a joke or two. They both did and their efforts were painful. They were barracked and given the bird, but inexplicably seemed to enjoy it. I was horrified. I am not a party pooper though. As I got up, the abuse started. Now unlike my mates I am used to being on a stage and I have a whole reportoir of one liner put downs (most of which I've nicked). One red faced clown in the front row, with his rather plump girlfriend shouted "Why are you so fat mate?". I took the mic and replied "because every time I shag your girfriend, she gives me a biscuit". He looked horrified. His mate, who was sat next to him, joined in "Who would shag an ugly bastard like you mate". I shot back "Your mum, that is why you are a double ugly bastard". The third bloke in the group, who wasn't with a girl, then tried his luck "I bet you're a Virgin mate". I replied "Say's the fat bloke in the front row with no girlfriend". By now the whole place was in uproar. I went back to the first bloke's girlfriend and said "I hope the care home is paying you decent money to take these three cretins out". I then noticed she had an empty glass, whilst they all had full ones. I added "blimey, they are too tight fisted to even buy a lovely girl like you a drink,look at them with their full pints. You deserve a medal for putting up with them all night and staying sober". I then saw the compare looking at his watch, indicating that I should tell my joke and bugger off. I had the sudden horrible realisation that I didn't actually have a joke to tell. So I said "I can see he wants me to tell my joke and bugger off now, well I don't actually know any jokes, I just thought I'd come up here and be rude to as many of you as I could, good night". To my amazement, I got a raptuous round of applause. I was a bit worried that the three blokes would take it the wrong way, but they bought me a drink and asked when I was doing another slot. As I'd slagged them all off, they were able to tease each other, which seemed the point. I was pleased that they actually bought the girls a drink as well. Maybe my telling off did some good!

I told them to keep an eye on the listings for my next gig. They are still waiting! I realised that whilst I have a great wealth of material to skewer hecklers and I can deliver them with aplomb, I am useless with actual jokes. I think about 60 seconds was about right. 

So what I am trying to say is that I have great admiration for people who can actually stand up, tell jokes and make people laugh. It is strange that I almost never remember a good comedians jokes, when I go to a comedy show, but I always remember the put downs for hecklers. They are worth their weight in gold, if you are in a band. I've always been of the opinion that if you heckle, you deserve a good verbal duffing up. It is funny because I do recall my mum saying after an episode of "Not the Nine O'Clock News" that in five years time it will be forgotten, but people will still find Morecombe and Wise sketches funny, because truly great comedy is timeless. Like many things in life, she was right. At the time I pretended that Not the nine o clock news was hilarious and that Morecombe and Wise were just a bunch of old has beens, who's time had gone. I was bored and watched an old show on line last night.  I couldn't have been more wrong. 

The Sunday Reflection #74 - Please forgive me all my sins

Please forgive me all my sins,

can we try and start again 

can we still make some sense of it all

Allen Ashley wrote these words for a False Dots song called Winter in Your Heart back in 1985. Ten years ago (2016), the band recorded it and made a video of the song with Allen singing. It is rather different from our Ska/Punk set of current, a gentle, thoughtful song. I have always thought that Allen was a brilliant lyricist who writes incredibly evocative lyrics, and of all his work with the band, this is perhaps my favourite example.

In times of difficulty, troubles, turmoil and stress, I often reflect on songs, lyrics, poems and writings. This is one that I often play in my head, when I feel that I've screwed up and need forgiveness. A central principle of Christianity (not that you'd know it from right wing American 'fundamentalist' Christians) is that you must love your enemies and forgive their transgressions. I often wonder if there is anyone alive who can truly say they live up to this. In fact I know very few people who even claim they try. Donald Trump is staunchly backed by the Christian right and neither him nor them seems to have any inclination to follow this central plank of the doctrine they subscribe to.

And me? Well I'd be a hypocrite if I said I said I did. The Irish genes in me are strong in the grudge holding department. I love a good vendetta and a good grudge. I find it hard to forgive people I like for their sins, let alone forgive people I don't like. I love my wife deeply, but I still occasionally get cross with her over long settled disputes. As I've got older and calmer, this happens less, but there are still a few grudges about long held grievances under padlock and key at the back of my mind.

And when it comes to my enemies. My Dad once taught me "If someone stitches you up over something once, then they are a C**T. If, however they stitch you up twice, then you are the C**T for letting them". Dad went on to clarify that if someone has shown themselves to be untrustworthy once, then don't trust them. I can even recall the exact circumstances. There was someone he knew who had work done on his car and not paid for it. The said individual gave Dad a sob story. The said individual was a well known Labour frontbench politician of the 1970/80's. They didn't come back for five years. After five years they did, another sob story ensued and a promise to ensure that both bills would be settled. When the said individual turned up to collect their car, they asked if they could pay by cheque. Dad agreed and the cheque was handed over. Dad was keen to ensure that there would be no comeback, so he then went around every panel with the said individual and suggested that they take the car for a test drive, to ensure that there were no rattles or other issues.

Once the test drive was completed, Dad said he'd only release the car once a "letter of satisfaction" was signed. This mentioned a thorough inspection and a test drive. Upon signing, the car was released. Two days later, the said individual phoned in an absolute rage. Why? He had called his bank to stop the cheque, only to find it had already been cleared. There used to be provision to pay extra money and have same day clearing of such payments. The individual was very rude to my mother who was the company secretary and answered the phone. She put him on to my Dad who explaind "Listen mate, if someone turns me over once, they are a C**T, if I let them turn me over twice, then I am. However you are a mug and you gave me the chance to settle the score and the bill, so not only are you a C**T but you are also a mug. Now F**K Off and never come back". When the character appeared on TV, Dad most certainly hadn't found it in his heart to forgive him, despite professing to be a good Catholic.

Occasionally, I come across people who test my good nature. I try my hardest to be nice to everyone, and if I can't be nice, I try and be fair. In my business, I have customers who I genuinely can't stand, but who pay their bills. Generally, the reason I dislike them is because I have witnessed them being rude or bullying other people, sometimes my younger staff. I rarely let casual customers I don't know that I am the owner. On several occasions, people have said to me "who do you think you are, your boss is a good friend of mine and I'll get you sacked". This has happened several times in front of my staff, all of whom immediately burst out laughing. We actually had one customer who told his band and many of his associates that he was the boss. I heard him doing it, when I was standing behind him one time and he didn't know I was there. I let him finish and then winked and said "Well if they have any complaints or want a refund I'll give them your number". In truth, I didn't mind as he brought quite a few customers down. It is a feature of the music industry that people tell whoppers and so I don't get too upset. When they bully younger or female staff, that is different. I ban about one person a year from the studios, due to such behaviour. Most send long emails explaining why it isn't there fault and why I am totally unreasonable. I usually invite them to try another studio who I don't like.

I have never really been sure whether loving your enemies means letting people who mean you ill carry on. If someone does me wrong and issues what I believe is a genuine apology, I will forgive them, but I will do everything in my power to prevent them from having the opportunity to do it again. And me? Do I expect my enemies to forgive me? There are a couple of people, who I know hold severe ill intent towards me. I understand their reasons and why they hold their point of view. Perhaps the example best known to readers of this blog is Brian Coleman, disgraced Tory councillor and GLA representative.  In light of the situation between Donald Trump and Greenland, I thought I'd see what Brian had to say about Mr Trump. I had to sniggered when I saw this tweet which maybe Mr Coleman may feel has not aged well.

Despite claiming to be a Methodist and last time I checked, living in a flat owned by the Methodist Chruch, on a subsidised rent, it seems that Mr Coleman is not really one for loving his enemies and he rather admires Mr Trump for the same reason. 

It may surprise Mr Coleman to know that I don't consider him to be an enemy (and not just so I don't have to  love him). I think he's a sad individual who I wouldn't consider to be a worthy enemy. My personal view is that grown men who attack women or children should go to prison, to keep the rest of us safe, but when Coleman was disgraced and lost office, any real interest I may have in him evaporated. If he was a man of dignity and honour, he'd have apologised to Helen Michael after he assaulted her and begged her forgiveness. My dispute with Coleman was that he called me a few nasty things, whilst in office. I won a standards case against him and if he'd had any sense he'd have learned his lesson. He didn't and ended up attacking Helen Michael on Finchley High Road. I'd like to think that anyone I have transgressed against, I would be big enough to apologise to.

When it comes down to it, the doctrine of loving your enemies is a beautiful concept but I am not sure that the human race is actually capable of it at this stage in our evolution. It is a real shame, because the world would be a better place if we could put enmity aside and work to make the world a better place for everyone. The sad truth is that whilst people like Donald Trump are President and people like Brian Coleman admire him, we will be lumbered with a world where injustice thrives and disputes abound. 

If I pray for anything at the moment, beyond the health and wellbeing of my family and friends, it is that a new generation of leaders will emerge, who are good people, who aspire to rise above pettiness and greed. Is it really too much to ask countries to pick leaders who are genuinely interested in making the world a better place?

Here is Winter In Your Heart, the song which I started the blog quoting. It seems apt for a Winters Day in a world that is seemingly going mad.

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The Saturday List #372 - The eight times I've had to re-invent myself!

 Did you know that legendary British Rock and Roll guitar hero Hank B. Marvin's real name is Brian Rankin?  Regular readers of this blog will know that his son, Paul, was the drummer in the False Dots for six months in 1980. Hank was kind enough to let us use his private studio at his home in Radlett and joined us for a jam. He gave me some excellent life and career advice, all of which I took on board. I asked him if Hank Marvin was his real name. He laughed and said "No, I'm actually Brian Rankin, but I was advised that if I was going to succeed in Rock and Roll I'd need a more rock and roll name. I was told I needed to re-invent myself, but as Buddy Holly had glasses, I stuck with that look. I decided to adopt a cool, calm, enigmatic persona, as part of Cliff Richards backing band". He then said "The best guitarists all have an air of enigmatic mystery about them". I decided that I quite fancied a bit of enigmatic mystery. I told Pete Conway that I was going to adopt a new name, when I shared it he pissed himself laughing. That put me off that idea. I decided to simply be Rog T. I realised that Hank was onto something though. 

1. Rock and Roll Guitarist. When you have a role to play you have to reinvent yourself for it. I was actually painfully shy around people as a teenager. I preferred to hide and dodge parties and family events. But you can't be shy and dodge attention as a member of a rock and roll band. So I reinvented myself as a rock and roll guitarist, a mouthy show off, who always has a pithy response to any heckle and who is quite happy to wallop unruly audience members around the head with a guitar. Hank had advised that it is good to have a private and a public persona. Keep them seperate or you will end up in trouble. So my new persona, Rog T of the False Dots was born. It never really occurred to me that this would be the first of many re-inventions.

2. IT Professional. In 1983, I was skint and needed a job. I had no qualifications, so I decided to do a TOPS course in computer operations, so I could get a job. I soon learned that the key to success was to be be confident and if there was a problem, say "just leave it with me". Usually I hadn't got a clue what to do, but I am a quick learner and I'd get the manuals out. At work, walloping people with guitars and having pithy put downs is unprofessional. I learned to keep calm and try and keep other people calm around me. I also learned to be generous with my colleagues and the people who work for me. Always give people credit, don't steal it for yourself. 

3. Band Manager. Between 1992 and 1996, I managed an Indie band called The Sway. They had a lot of artistic success, played some great gigs, issued two wonderful singles, but never had any real commercial success. It was a huge learning curve and I learned that to be a successful manager, you have to be a bit of devious bastard and have less morals than a tom cat in a barn full of moggies on heat. It is a highly competetive field and everyone is trying to shaft everyone else. Just as I was starting to get my head around the business, the band split up. I realised that this was one re-invention I could do without and although I've helped a few bands out since, I would not become a band manager again.

4. Dad. In 1995, my eldest daughter was born. I had always said that I didn't want kids. The reason, I think I am uniquely badly suited to the responsibilities of being a parent. As a kid, I was always thick and naughty. As a teenager, I was a rebel. As an adult, I am selfish and lazy. I took the view that such a person simply should not have children. When Clare suggested that we have kids, I said "The only condition is that you do all the work". She thought I was joking, but I wasn't. When Maddie was born, I realised it was no longer a game or a joke. I had a beautiful baby who meant the world to me. But in truth, the only way I could even start to cope was by trying to reinvent myself as a responsible adult. Given that all my kids are brilliant, I suppose I must have got something right, but that was probably just marrying Clare and letting her do the work. When Maddie was 14, some girls in the class above her were bullying her friend. She beat them up. I had taught her how to box and punch, and she was a swimming champion. I was called to the school and informed she was being suspended. Mr Ward, the head said "Physical violence is totally unacceptable. My response. "I've always taught my daughter to stand up to bullies and it seems no one was doing anything about a gang of older girls bullying her friend, so I can't criticise her actions". Mr Ward was shocked, but I stood firm and said "Are the girls getting suspended for bullying". There was an embarrassed silence. I stated that I would support a suspension of my daughter if the other girls were also suspended. After a quick discussion, Mr Ward agreed. There was clear evidence of this. Part of the deal was that I  would explain to Maddie that beating people up at school was unacceptable and she would be expelled if it happened again. I told her that violence is always unacceptable, and is the last resort of fools. However I said that if authorities are acting unfairly, sometimes you just have to suck it up. I cannot claim to be a good Dad, but the kids seem to like this re-invention and accept me as I am. 

5. Studio Owner. Running a studio is a very different thing to being in a band. We see many young people come through the doors. Many are vulnerable. Many have challenges. Some are very badly behaved. Sometimes events happen, where emotions run high. I've had to adopt an elder statesman. Like my IT reinvention, calmness is a key factor, but another thing that is even more important is to be able to support people who need a bit of encouragement. When people have failed auditions or been thrown out of bands and are distraught, telling them that they must believe in themselves, learn the lessons of the setback and be better next time is key. I've had many setbacks in my career, but I am still having a blast at the age of 63. That is a key part of the message. I always give examples of artists who had many knock backs, but got there through sheer persistence. Being a kindly elder with experience is a blessing at times.

6. Blogger. Now there are two elements to this. The first is that what I write is as near to the real me, as you will get. But I have a different blogger persona, for when I am interviewed on Radio/TV as a result of my blogging, as occasionally happens. Usually I am called when there is a massive screw up on a subject I've blogged about. TV and Radio want pithy, short soundbites, not monologues. I am not by nature, a pithy soundbite guy, but I have learned. I always have a few prepared. Usually they get the ten minute monologue and don't use it! They do however generally use the pithy one liner. When you do media, you need to think exactly what you want to get over and make sure that you stick to it. Occasionally you get an aggresive host, who ambushes you. This happened to me on BBC Radio London, when I was asked to contribute on the ULEZ subject. I stated all of the damage the change was doing. The host said "So you think protecting your income is more important than protecting childrens lungs?". I hadn't anticipated such an aggressive question. I realised that if I was to do such interviews, I needed to do my homework and have something reaady for such a curveball. The answer I should have given is that given was that the policy was just moving polluting vehicles to other areas of the country, so someone elses kids suffer. We need a national clean air strategy, that addresses the worst pollution times and hotspots. If you re-invent yourself, you have to do it properly.

7. Politician. In 2009, I was asked to stand as the Lib Dems candidate in Mill Hill. This was a really big reinvention. The first thing to learn is that you can't tell people what you think of them. When you knock on someones door, you are invading their privacy, so if they tell you something you don't like, you have to be polite, smile and move on. There are several people I really remember. One bloke opened the door and said "I'm BNP and I hate the Lib Dems, why should I vote for you". I should have moved on, but I couldn't resist an argument. "Well are you happy with the job the Tory Council are doing with potholes, looking after parks..." He said "No".  I then said "neither am I and the only way I can sort it out is if you vote for me". We had a long conversation, he was quite reasonable. I realised that most people who support people like the BNP do so because they feel totally abandoned and let down. I realised that parties like the BNP and Reform feed on this feeling of injustice and failure. Their answers are simple, but devisive. Blame some group that is a vulnerable minority and claim that without them, everything would be just fine. They neglect to say that the problems with the UK are far more complex and deep seated. We need a new industrial strategy to build growth and generate money to fix schools, roads, the NHS, etc. Until the BNP or Reform properly address this, they have nothing to contribute. A country with no plan is a country with no future, and my greatest criticism of Reform is that distract political debate away from fixing the country and making it work. I have never really wanted to be a politician. I do however think people who don't want the job do it better. 

8. Band Singer. Now I guess that you probably think "What are you on about, you've been in a band for donkeys years, and you have sung at various times throughout". The answer is quite simple. Being a singer and being a guitarist are two totally different skills. I hadn't appreciated this myself until I took over the front man role when Allen Ashley departed in 2020. Stepping up and doing a few numbers, then stepping back is different. You have to read an audience, engage with them, be dynamic and adaptive. Playing guitar is mostly about just playing notes in the right order and moving around a bit. You realise that everyone is looking at you. My style is very much in the Ian Duryesque storyteller school. No one would pay money to listen to my vocal gyrations. They come because I am a rabble rouser who tries to make sure everyone has a good time. I also have realised just how important it is to ensure that people hear you. As a guitarist, I wasn't too bothered about what the singer was up to. I've learned to turn my guitar down. That is a real change!

Have you had to re-invent yourself?

You can see the latest reinvention on Sunday 15th March from 2pm at The Dublin Castle in Camden Town. 

SIgn the petition to stop restrictions on Freedom Pass usage

 There are proposals under discussion in London to restrict and remove Freedom pass usage. The argument being made is that it is too expensive for London in the current climate of budget pressures. A petition has ben launched to oppose this very regressive change. The figures used, as far as I am concerned, are not realistic. The impact of the change will be huge. I don't believe that the savings will be realised and it will cause congestion on the roads and overcrowding on trains, buses and tubes. It will also impact charities and voluntary organisations which rely on unpaid volunteers for help.. 

I assume that the figure quoted is based on the cost of the journeys currently made by Freedom Pass users. The assumption is that all of these journeys will be made. I do not believe they will. Let me give one example. During the football season, I walk nearly a kilometer from my house to the 384 bus stop at Apex corner, to take the bus to Hadley FC. I do this as I do not need to pay for the journey. If I had to pay, I would probably drive, as would many other fans my age, causing congestion on Barnet Lane every other Saturday. A car journey is more convenient, but as the bus is free, it means that I generally use it. I also regularly have to visit hospitals etc due to various medical issues. I nearly always take public transport, but this would add hundreds of pounds a year to my costs. I would probably drive to a lot of these appointments. When I drive to Barnet Hospital, I avoid paying what I consider to be expensive parking fees. There are suburban roads nearby that I use to park on. I would expect to see a massive increase in parking in such roads, resulting in massive expansions of CPZ zones. 

Then there is the effect on hospitality businesses in London. I generally meet friends 2-3 times a week, see bands etc. I would definitely get out less, if Freedom Pass usage was restricted. These businesses, many of which already are sruggling would take a huge hit. 

As to the effect on London's roads. More cars and congestion would be inevitable. There is already a huge shortage of car parkings spaces and the pressure on these will get worse. I had to drive my daughter to a hospital appointment in Victoria yesterday for 10am. The journey took approx 90 minutes. I would expect this to rise to nearly two hours if people switch from using public transport to cars. This makes London a far less attractive place to do business. 

One of the arguments about Freedom passes is that many people still work and are using the pass to go to work at well paid jobs. As you cannot use a pass before 9.30am, this is only true for people who can work flexible hours. For many who do start work after 9.30am currently. they may well decided that if they have to pay, they will travel earlier and this will actually add to congestion on already busy rush hour trains. I regularly do a slot on a radio show in Croyden. I take the 9.43 train from Mill Hill. This trains is actually very busy, mostly with people taking the first train that can be used witha freedom pass. My assumption is that some of these people will move to earlier, even more congested trains. 

Then there is the issue of people whop volunteer for charities in London. I volunteered for many years at a homeless daycare centre near Victoria, called The Passage. Many of the volunteers were people who travelled using a Freedom pass for free. I have recently enquired about restarting volunteering, as I have more time on my hands. If I had to pay to attend, I am afraid to say I won't do it. A years worth of volunteering would cost over £500 per annum for me. I love the work the charity do, but not quite that much.

When the costs are quoted, these are notional costs cobbled together by an accountant. All of the buses, tubes and trains will still run. They will just be emptier and less efficient.  AS so often happens, accountants know the cost of everything and the value of absolutely nothing

Please sign the petition here. I have started to wonder why we elected Sadiq Khan and a Labour council in Barnet. It seems that whenever they do anything, it involves giving some group in London that doesn't deserve it, a good financial kicking, and the hospitality industry gets hit by stray bullets from the driveby shootings. 

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The Sunday Reflection #73 - What is a genuine sacrifice?

 Robert Elms made a comment on his show this morning, after playing a John Denver track for a listener going through a rather tough time. Some time later in his show, he read a readers email thanking him for playing the track. Robert made a comment that he always felt slightly embarrassed when people thanked him, as he was just doing his job and he enjoyed it. It stuck in my mind. My mind turned to Donald Trump and the Nobel peace prize. Unlike Robert Elms, Donald Trump feels that he should achieve the highest accolades for his work and his acheivements. Mr Trump boasts that he has stopped eight wars and millions of people are alive today because of his efforts. Whatever Mr Trump may or may not be, humility is not something he is ever prone to. 

I was mulling over this and the idea of sacrifice came up. I don't mean the ritual sacrifice of animals, something which I find rather disturbing if I am honest. I mean the concept that we give things up, or endure hardships. At this time of year, we make new year resolutions. Often these are things like new diets, giving up alcohol, doing punishing exercise routines. The idea is that such sacrifices are good for us. But are they? Clearly if we havea  chaotic lifestyle and alcohol is harming us, then yes. But to me the concept of  'dry January' is ridiculous. If you simply start bingeing on the 1st February, it is really rather silly. Similarly with diet and exercise routines. Going on a punishing run, when you are unfit is a rather good way to do yourself some damage. Similarly, with diet changes, if you starve yourself and then go bonkers, it will do you no good at all. There is a notion that the effort of sacrifice is good for the soul is to me, a bogus concept. I am all for New Years resolutions, but we should make them achieveable. A sacrifice is only worth making if it leads to a permanent change and development. 

Let me give you an example. At the start of 1985, I was in a period of turmoil. My health was not great and the band had recently split up. I had been advised to avoid alcohol and change my diet. I was feeling rather depressed about everything, I started thinking how I could make this a positive. I took a long look at myself and the band and realised that although I'd been in a band for six years, I needed to radically change my way of working. As I wouldn't be going to the pub, I would practice guitar for three hours a day and I'd also do a professional songwriting course. The course I chose was one evening a week for ten weeks. When I finished school in 1981, I vowed I was done with education, so this was a big thing. I thought it would be boring and I'd hate it, but it was a revealation. Combined with properly practising guitar, I realised that the whole way I'd approached music had been flawed. I had thought that this whole period would be a sacrifice, but it was a revealtion. By June, the band was back up and running and I had a whole new lease of life and energy musically. 

So was that a sacrifice? Not at all, it was wonderful. There are many things I've done as a 'sacrifice' that I ended up getting more from than I put in. Volunteering at The Passage homeless daycare centre was one such thing. I didn't like getting up at 5.45am to get there for the breakfast shift at 7am, but it was brilliant and was a real education. 

At Catholic Primary School, the Nuns would tell us about 'Holy People' who used to do all manner of self flagelation etc, to purge them of their sins. To me this always seemed ridiculous. If you commit a sin, put the harm right. If you make a mistake in life, rectify it. I've made plenty and where I can, I have tried to make amends. Sometimes this can be a simple apology. Sometimes it can be some sort of reparations. I was intrigued by the debate about whether the Church of England should make financial payments as it benefitted from the slave trade. I had an elderly Jamaican friend who explained the concept to me in 1985. If my Great Grandpa robbed your Great Grandpa, and so three generations of my family lived in a mansion, whilst three generations of your family live in abject poverty, denied education and opportunity, surely a decent person would recognise this and seek to undo some of the damage.

His view was interesting. He did not blame the current generation for the sins of their forefathers, you cannot change the past. But you can give the current generation of those, who are still in poverty, a chance. His view was that bursaries at the best schools and universities should be set up and paid for by those who are still benefitting from the crimes of their forefathers. They do not not need top be forced into poverty, just make some sort of amends to recognise the fact that their priviledge was not the fruit of their own work. Is it really a sacrifice to give back something that should never have been yours in the first place? To me, that is the crux of the matter